PEOPLE
10 MINUTES WITH: DAN SMITH
Merchant Sales Manager, AG
What is your current role and how long have you been doing it? I’m a Merchant Sales Manager for AG (formerly Acheson + Glover) in the South East of England and I’ve been doing this for almost five years. It’s an exciting time as AG celebrates 60 years in business this year.
What does your role entail? I look after AG’s stockists and I promote our products to new merchants, who are mainly independent Builders’ Merchants and family- owned like AG.
I promote AG’s products by training staff at the various stockists, ensuring staff understand AG’s mission; to make construction better, faster and safer, and I arrange displays for AG at these sites.
Within the industry, I attend trade days and exhibitions. I travel around quite a bit and every day is different as I’m managing all the areas below Birmingham in England.
How did you get started in this industry? I have always had an interest in the construction industry, and before joining AG, I worked for an independent builders’ merchant in Kent for seven years where I progressed to become a Branch Manager.
What roles were you doing before and how did they prepare you for this one? My previous employer who I have mentioned above, was bought by a large corporate builders’ merchant in my last year of working there. With this new ownership, my role turned into an admin role and after this change I stayed for eight months – a face-to- face role is more suitable for me. I was aware of AG, so I started speaking to the Regional Manager and here I am now. I’ve always been in the builders’ merchant industry which has prepared me for my current role - I know the frustrations of merchants and the sort of service required.
What would you like to achieve in your role? I want AG to be the preferred supplier of hard landscaping and specialist building products in the market, and I aim to create a positive representation of myself ensuring my reputation aligns with that of AG. My ambition is to become AG’s national
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merchant manager for all of England and to manage various regional representatives. Hopefully this will come true as AG have big plans for the GB market.
What has been the highlight of your career so far? I always get a good feeling when new merchants come onboard and when sales are increasing. I also enjoy building relationships, and this is what I try to do daily.
What do you see as the main issues for builders merchants and for the construction industry at the moment? Covid-19 is impacting the market at the moment, although we are enjoying strong sales. Hopefully things will return to normality soon. It’s important public funds are set aside to enable major capital investment projects that will drive construction forward and help re-start the economy.
If you could go back to the start of your career, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Reassurance that career progression happens with experience and believing in your ability. When I was younger I often doubted myself, I respected my peers and didn’t believe I could be like them. But I could, and experience is priceless.
Football, rugby, cycling, golf or gardening – which one’s more likely to keep you busy at the weekends? Football 100%.
If you’re at the bar – what are you drinking? A beer (lager), and it tastes better when it’s been a good productive week.
What’s your favourite book? Favourite film?
I enjoy autobiographies, mostly from sports professionals or inspirational businesspeople. I am not really into films, but I enjoy a TV series and comedy shows.
If you could be a superhero, what super- power would you choose? To be in two places at once – I get called from pillar to post.
ON THE MOVE • Keylite Roof
Windows (Keylite), part of The
Keystone Group, has appointed Jim Blanthorne as managing director. Blanthorne has over
18 years’ experience in operations and senior management roles within the building products market, including four years as Operations Director for Keylite.
• Ridgespear Limited, has appointed Brendan Hourican as Group Sales Director to promote the company’s wide product range to the commercial and
domestic sectors across the UK and Europe bringing with him 26 years’ experience in supply and manufacture for the construction industry.
• SCA Wood UK has appointed Gina Pack as Business Development Manager. She brings with her over 15 years industry experience having
dedicated most of her working career to timber within Metsä Wood.
•
W.Howard Group has welcomed
Matthew Potts as the latest apprentice to join the company. Potts joined the MDF profile manufacturer in August, and is
working across both the sales and marketing departments as he learns more about the business and the wider industry.
• Marley Alutec has appointed Jordan Iles as its new Area Sales Manager for the North Wales and Central England region. Iles has worked for
the company for the last 12 years, most recently as a Senior Technical Estimator.
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net October 2020
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